Fly Fishing California. Ken Hanley

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Fly Fishing California - Ken Hanley

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Boca & Prosser Creek Reservoirs

       Sutherland Lake

       Trinity Lake, Clair Engle Lake

       Trinity River

       Truckee River

       Upper Otay Reservoir

       Walker River, East Fork

       Yosemite National Park

       Resources

       Conservation

       Other No Nonsense Guides

       Fly Fishing Knots

       Highway Network Map

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       Stalking trout on Hot Creek. Photo by John Sherman.

       California Fly-O-Matic

      You would do well engaging in a little homework before hitting the road. Use this guide, and then dial up one of the contact numbers in the Resources section. A simple phone call can give you some scouting info that’s the ticket to your field success. Fly shops, guides, clubs, and park services, all provide timely details concerning local waters. Their information is generally very accurate and should help in your decision-making process.

      Don’t be intimidated by the vastness of California. Rather, take a logical approach to observing the basics of exploring this state with a fly rod in hand. Start by asking yourself if you prefer river or still water environments? How about the saltwater experience inside calm estuaries? Do you like largemouth bass or albacore tuna? My point is to first have you narrow down the playing field. Then you can begin concentrating on the specifics of species or habitat.

      At any rate, to assist in getting your adventures on the proper path, the following tips will help any angler in their quest of the Golden State Fly Fishing Experience.

       Game Fish & Their Habitat

      California literally presents you with dozens-upon-dozens of species to engage. With such a diverse offering you would do well by adopting these categories to define our game fish habitats first: Freshwater/Coldwater (streams, rivers, lakes), Freshwater/Warmwater (lakes, ponds, reservoirs, delta), Inshore Saltwater (rocky shoreline, estuary, sandy beach, harbor, inner bay), Offshore Saltwater (open ocean). By using this system you’ll effectively target a specific range of game fish in each arena. Having narrowed the playing field, your final choice of game fish becomes much easier.

       Weather

      California has terrific conditions most of the year… however… it does rain, it does snow, and it does become very windy at times! Coastal locations can be pretty cold during many summer mornings, while the Sierra Nevada Mountains can be fairly hot during August and September. The weather is dynamic, constantly evolving. The most volatile months anywhere in the state are November, December, and January. The most stable times, and prolific angling months, would include May through October.

       Hazards

      There are really just a few I’d like to mention in this guidebook.

      Those of you scouting our streams and rivers should be aware of rattlesnakes. Be especially careful around dry snags and fallen timber. Waterways like the Merced River and Kings River come to mind in particular.

      Respect altitude! Many folks traveling from sea level into the High Sierra don’t take the time to acclimatize properly. Travel slowly. Enjoy a few extra hours rest at altitude (or an extra night if need be) before hiking and exerting yourself. Learn about the symptoms and first aid techniques for altitude sickness before venturing above 5,000 feet in elevation.

      Saltwater anglers will need to be aware of the changing tide cycle. It certainly affects access and safety procedures. Anyone exploring the surf zone should note the intensity of those breaking waves. It doesn’t take much to get knocked down and disoriented. I always travel with a partner when fly fishing the surf scene.

       Fly Selection & Hatches

      This guide doesn’t pretend to be a Western entomology or baitfish cycle authority. Those subjects can fill volumes of encyclopedias. The hatches and baitfish mentioned in this guide are a basic reference to help you assemble your tackle. These are what I would consider cornerstone hatches (and miscellaneous prey populations) for all of California. There is no question that more categories exist, but you can feel confident with these as a foundation to your collection. You can always choose your own favorite fly design, however these basic food categories are essential to address:

      Trout Rivers/Streams: mayflies (blue-winged olive, callibaetis, green drake), caddis (Western sedge, micro caddis), stoneflies (black, little yellow stone), midge, sculpin, ant, grasshopper.

      Trout Still Waters: midge (chironomid), damselfly (nymph and adult), dragonfly (nymph), trout fry, mayfly (callibaetis), ant, grasshopper, snail.

      Bass Still Waters: deer hair popper, panfish fry, threadfin shad, smelt, leech, dragonfly and damselfly (nymph and adult), bass fry, crawdad.

      Inshore Saltwater: ghost shrimp, rock crab, anchovy, marine worms, mole crab, perch fry, sculpin.

      Offshore Saltwater: anchovy, sardine, mackerel.

       Rods

      Those of you targeting smaller intimate freshwater trout habitat would do fine with 3- and 4-weight outfits. The larger 5- and 6-weight classes will provide you with the best “all-around” performance on most California waters.

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       A great assortment of flies for delta stripers. Photo by John Sherman.

      If you’re pursuing shad, steelhead, bass, and light saltwater

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